Things to do this month is sponsored by Art of London.
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: March is Women's History Month, when the often-overlooked achievements of women, and particularly women who have fought for their right to be recognised, are celebrated. We've rounded up some exciting events here including shows, talks and tours. 1-31 March
LITERARY FOOTPRINTS: The guides at Footprints of London have once again put together a series of guided walks themed around literature, creating the Literary Footprints festival. Throughout March, join walks (and some virtual tours) on topics including Wolf Hall, Virginia Woolf, Charles Dickens, Monica Ali's Brick Lane and much more. 1-31 March
ST DAVID'S DAY: Whether you're a Welsh person in London, or just an avid fan of all things from England's western neighbour, check out our guide to being Welsh in London, and find a little slice of Cymru just in time for St David's Day. 1 March
JEWISH BOOK WEEK: Taking place at Kings Place in King's Cross across nine days, Jewish Book Week hosts talks, film screenings and panel debates covering topics including food for change, football, Shakespeare, Jewish country houses and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Many of the events are available online too. 1-9 March
PUNCH: In 2011, James Hodgkinson was killed by a single punch, thrown by Jacob Dunne in an unprovoked attack. Punch opens at the Young Vic, telling that story, and how Joan and David, the parents of the victim, sparked a profound change in Dunne's life. Former Coronation Street actor Julie Hesmondhalgh stars. 1 March-26 April
COLLECT 2025: Head to Somerset House to browse contemporary craft and design pieces at art fair Collect 2025. 400 artists are represented — their talents spanning ceramics, glass, jewellery, metalwork and textiles. Until 2 March
FREE LSE EVENTS: Make the most of your weekday evenings in March with a marvellous mix of free talks hosted by LSE, covering everything from AI to climate change to politics. Speakers this month include Nobel Prize-winning economist James A. Robinson, advertising heavyweight Maurice Saatchi and author Sheila Rowbotham. The events are open to all, and can also be accessed online. FREE, various dates, Monday-Thursday. (sponsor)
WINTER SCULPTURE PARK: Claiming to be London's largest sculpture park, Winter Sculpture Park opens on the disused former Thamesmead golf course, with 40 artworks by 34 artists spread across 6.5 acres. FREE, 2 March-26 April
REPAIR WEEK: The annual London Repair Week aims to equip Londoners with the skills needed to repair old items, rather than throwing them away and replacing them with new ones. Keep an eye on the website for details of repair hubs and workshops, spanning everything from furniture and upholstery to electricals. 3-9 March
CHIPPY TEA: Comedy twosome Bab are back at Aces and Eights in Tufnell Park to host another Chippy Tea comedy night; acts this time include Jin Hao Li, Kit Lloyd and Mark Silcox (the latter of which you'll almost certainly recognise from his many TV comedy cameos). 4 March
ROMEO AND JULIET: Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet celebrates its 60th anniversary with performances by the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, transporting you to Renaissance-era Verona via sword fights and a masked ball. 4 March-26 May
WEATHER GIRL: A new show by the producers of Fleabag and Baby Reindeer, Weather Girl tells the story of Stacey, a California weather girl who discovers something which will save the planet. See it at Soho Theatre. 5 March-5 April
THE OTHER ART FAIR: The Other Art Fair takes over the Old Truman Brewery for four days of artwork that's designed to be accessible to all. Affordable and original pieces are up for grabs, alongside immersive installations, live performances and a bar. 6-9 March
KINOTEKA: The 23rd edition of the Kinoteka Polish Film Festival takes place at cinemas across London, spanning categories including new Polish cinema, classics and documentaries. Headline events this year including screenings of films about the Holocaust, and matinee showings of animated films for younger cinemagoers. 6 March-25 April
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Have an out-of-this-world evening in the West End
The West End gets a cosmic makeover for free late-night culture programme Art After Dark, with inflatable moon rocks landing in Piccadilly Circus, alongside giant UV reactive cat sculptures and public telescopes dotted around the area. Throw in a soundscape of West End recordings which have travelled all the way to the Moon and back, as well as bookable art tours and late night gallery openings, and you've got yourself quite the extra-terrestrial experience.
Why not make a night of it? Book for dinner at one of the area's many affordable restaurants: think hearty ramen or juicy gyoza dumplings at Japan Centre; warming curries and slow-cooked meats at Farzi London; or grills, regional curries and biryanis at Masala Zone. Treat yourself to authentic Italian dishes at Franco's or err on the French side at Bistrot at Wild Honey. Wherever you dine, keep the party going with drinks afterwards: St Martins Lane Hotel and Maison Assouline are both excellent choices for sophisticated sips in elegant surrounds. The Brumus Bar & Restaurant at the Haymarket Hotel even offers live jazz on Thursday and Friday evenings.
Art After Dark takes place 6-8 March 2025 and is free to visit. Look out for special Art After Dark offers at restaurants, bars and other local businesses.
HELEN OXENBURY: Burgh House in Hampstead opens new exhibition Helen Oxenbury: Illustrating the Land of Childhood, the first ever solo exhibition of work by the children's illustrator. View her original paintings and sketches, from books including We're Going On A Bear Hunt. FREE, 6 March-14 December
MOVE IT: Claiming to be the world's biggest dance event, Move It comes to Excel Centre. Watch performances on three different stages, with Love Island’s Molly Marsh, Strictly Come Dancing finalist Layton Williams and Dance Moms Gianna Martello taking part. There are also competitions, and companies including Disney and Royal Caribbean hold auditions for dancers to join their crews. 7-9 March
PHOTOGRAPHY PRIZE: View works by the four shortlisted photographers of this year's Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize. Cristina De Middel, Rahim Fortune, Tarrah Krajnak and Lindokuhle Sobekwa's photos are on show, spanning documentary photography, constructed images, self-portraiture, performance and family archives from around the world. The winner is announced on 15 May. 7 March-15 June
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY: 8 March is International Women's Day — here's our pick of events going on in London to mark the occasion. 8 March
WOW AT 15: Celebrate 15 years of Women of the World — or WOW — Festival, with a special evening at the Royal Albert Hall. WOW founder Jude Kelly hosts, accompanied by activist Angela Davis. Full line up is to be announced at time of writing, but the event will include music and discussion celebrating the achievements of women, girls and non-binary people across the globe. 8 March
BALLET ICONS: Ballet stars from leading theatres such as the Royal Ballet, Berlin State Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, La Scala, Paris Opera Ballet and American Ballet Theatre take to the stage at the London Coliseum for the Ballet Icons Gala, accompanied by the English National Ballet Philharmonic Orchestra. 9 March
DEAR ENGLAND: Highly-acclaimed theatre show Dear England returns to the National Theatre, starring Gwilym Lee as England football manager Gareth Southgate as he tries to lead his team to victory. 10 March-24 May
MARISHA WALLACE: West End and Broadway sensation Marisha Wallace is at the Adelphi Theatre starring in her biggest ever headline show, joined on stage by several special guests. 11 March
ANTON DU BEKE: Tuck into afternoon tea while ballroom dancer and Strictly judge Anton Du Beke performs in front of you. The event, at the InterContinental London Park Lane, is a fundraiser for the Sick Children's Trust. Various ticket types are available, all including a traditional afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones, cake and tea, accompanied by live music and dance performances by Du Beke and special guests. 11 March
DRUM TAO: Japanese drumming ensemble Drum TAO presents the UK premiere of The Dream at Sadler's Wells — expect to see a combination of athleticism, large scale taiko drumming and precise choreography, with contemporary costumes and stunning visuals. 11-15 March
TRANSCESTRY: The Lethaby Gallery at Central Saint Martins hosts new exhibition TRANSCESTRY: 10 years of the Museum of Transology, marking a decade of collecting by the Museum of Transology, which is home to the world’s biggest collection of objects and stories celebrating trans, non-binary and intersex lives. Over 1,000 objects are included, spanning items that commemorate private gender milestones and medical ephemera alongside hundreds of protest placards from mass public rallies. 11 March-11 May
CRAFT OF CARPENTRY: Step into the world of Japanese master carpenters at Japan House, and learn about the tools and craftsmanship behind Japan’s temples and shrines. The centrepiece of the Craft of Carpentry exhibition is a life-size reconstruction of the Sa-an teahouse in the temple Daitoku-ji in Kyoto. FREE, 12 March-6 July
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR: Prices for artworks start at £100 at the Affordable Art Fair, which is held at Evolution Battersea. Thousands of contemporary artworks are for sale, with special events including late night openings, and a family hour at the weekend. 12-16 March
THE LITTLE PRINCE: Beloved children's book The Little Prince has been adapted for the stage, in a show bringing together dance, aerial acrobatics, and video mapping technology. It opens at the London Coliseum for a limited run, following seasons in Paris, Sydney, Dubai and Broadway. Tickets here. 12-16 March
CROYDON AIRPORT: Londonist editor Will Noble does an online talk for the Art Deco Society: When Croydon Was the Centre of the Universe recalls the halcyon days of Croydon Airport during the 1920s and 30s, when the wealthy used it as a global gateway, and others visited Croydon for plane (and Hollywood star) spotting. 13 March
PLIED AND PREJUDICE: The Vaults on Waterloo's Leake Street host Plied & Prejudice, an adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, telling Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy's story as you’ve never seen it before, with five actors playing 20 characters, set at a grand ball at Pemberley. From 13 March
DRESS CODES: The written and unwritten rules of dressing at the royal court are explored in Dress Codes at Kensington Palace, which showcases a rare survival of Queen Elizabeth II's childhood clothes, debutante dresses, court suits and clothing worn by members of the Royal Family such as Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales. 13 March-30 November
COUNTRY TO COUNTRY: Three days of country music comes to The O2 as Country To Country festival returns. Rising Nashville stars take to the stage (several stages, actually) between sets from headline acts including Lainey Wilson, Dierks Bentley, and Cody Johnson. 14-16 March
SIX NATIONS: International rugby tournament the Six Nations continues into March — with the six final games taking place across 8, 9 and 15 March. Whether you're supporting England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France or Italy, here's our pick of places screening the Six Nations action. Until 15 March
RAILWAY MODELLING: Model railway enthusiasts from all over country gather at Alexandra Palace for the London Festival of Railway Modelling. 35+ exhibitors show off their layouts, and there's a chance to pick up rarer scales and gauges. 15-16 March
BARNES MUSIC FESTIVAL: Pianists, saxophonists, organists, singers and a concert band are some of the performers lined up for this year's Barnes Music Festival, which takes place at venues across the area. The Music in the Dark concert is always a particularly popular aspect of the programme. Under-12s get free entry as part of the festival's Youth Programme, in a bid to reach a younger audience. 15-30 March
SOUNDS OF BLOSSOM: Kew Gardens is going all out for blossom season this year, with a musical soundtrack playing in the gardens' blossom hotspots. The new pieces of music were composed and recorded by students from the Royal College of Music, and are included in your entry ticket. 15 March-6 April
RETRO GAMES FAIR: Traders from all over the UK come together for the Retro Games Fair at the Royal National Hotel in Bloomsbury, where retro video games, board games and merchandise are available to buy. 16 March
HOLI DANCE FESTIVAL: Expect a day of colour, music, dance and authentic Indian culture as Magic of India celebrates the festival of Holi in Waterlow Park, Highgate. Everyone attending receives a packet of skin-safe powder colours to participate in the traditional colour-throwing, with Indian food available to buy, DJs playing a fusion of Bollywood and western music, and live performances by dancers and drummers. 16 March
ST PATRICK'S DAY: Around the middle of March each year, most Londoners embrace their Irish heritage (however distant) by getting involved in the St Patrick's Day celebrations. The main event is the St Patrick's Day festival and parade (16 March 2025), but look out for plenty of other Irish-themed parties, supper clubs, menus, bar crawls and events. Maybe acquaint yourself with one of London's best Irish pubs too. Around 17 March
BFI FLARE: London's LGBTQIA+ film festival BFI Flare is an 11-day celebration of queer cinema featuring gala screenings, panel discussions, short films and more. Full programme details TBC at time of writing. 19-30 March
STILL THE HOURS: Hampton Court Palace hosts the world premiere of a genre-defying promenade experience. Wander through the palace after dark, accompanied by audio telling the story of women who lived or worked there. Suffragettes, royal mistresses, queens and maids all feature, their stories told by actors including Kathryn Hunter and Miranda Richardson, and backed up by historical research. 19-30 March
JOHN MORLEY: The first solo exhibition of work by painter John Morley in almost 30 years opens at the Garden Museum. John Morley: Artist Gardener showcases his paintings and pastels of flowers, fruits and garden plants, many of which have never been publicly displayed. 19 March-20 April
THE STITCH FESTIVAL: Embroidery, batik, pattern design, punch needle, crochet and dressmaking are just some of the skills and hobbies encompassed in The Stitch Festival in Islington. Shows, talks and workshops are programmed throughout the weekend, with 150+ traders selling supplies and equipment. 20-23 March
WILKO: The story of Wilko Johnson, founder of band Dr Feelgood, is told on stage at Southwark Playhouse in Borough. in Wilko: Love and Death and Rock 'n' Roll. He was diagnosed with inoperable cancer and decided to spend his last months living meaningfully... until a miracle happened. 20 March-19 April
ARPITA SINGH: Serpentine North opens the first solo exhibition of artist Arpita Singh outside of India, spotlighting the artist's 60 year-career. Remembering features her paintings from the 1960s through to more recent years, including large-scale oil paintings and more intimate watercolours and ink drawings. 20 March-27 July
MILITARY MUSIC: The Massed Bands of His Majesty's Royal Marines give three concerts at the Royal Albert Hall for the Mountbatten Festival of Music, which showcases the skills of some of the world's finest military musicians while raising funds for Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charities. 21-22 March
IDEAL HOME SHOW: Pimp up your pad at the Ideal Home Show at Olympia. Interior designers, furniture suppliers, window and conservatory installation services, candle brands, home accessory stores, and garden DIY experts congregate under one roof to help you make the changes you want in your home. Eat & Drink Festival is also at Olympia, aimed at London's foodie types. Tuck into all manner of street food at The Great Eat, stock up your kitchen cupboards with produce from the Artisan Producers Market, and pick up tips, inspiration and possibly a new recipe or two from celebrity chefs on the Eat & Drink Stage. 21 March-6 April
VICTOR HUGO: The imaginary worlds of the author of the Hunchback of Notre-Dame are revealed in the Royal Academy's new show, Astonishing Things: The Drawings Of Victor Hugo. His artworks are lesser-known than his writing, but this is a chance to see his ink and wash visions of imaginary castles, monsters and seascapes. 21 March-29 June
RIVER RACE: The Head of the River Race is rowed annually from Mortlake to Putney, with up to 400 crews of eights taking part. Get down to the river's edge to watch the action unfold. FREE to watch, 22 March
EARTH HOUR: For one hour on Saturday evening, London's switching the lights off for WWF's Earth Hour, raising awareness of the effects of global warming. Individual businesses and households are encouraged to take part by turning off the lights, but several of the capital's major landmarks will be plunged into darkness too. FREE, 22 March
PALACE HALF: If ever a half marathon route was fit for a king/queen, it's the Palace Half. Start your run at the gates of Hampton Court Palace and take in the local area — including crossing the Thames twice, before finishing in the palace gardens. Plenty of charities are still looking for runners to take part on their behalf. 23 March
AUSTENLAND: Another alternative take on the works of Jane Austen (2025 is her 250th anniversary year, after all), Austenland at the Savoy Theatre is a musical comedy about an Austen superfan who takes a trip to Austenland in search of a Regency romance. 24 March
TEENAGE CANCER TRUST: The Who, The Sex Pistols and The Corrs are among the headliners at a series of gigs in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, taking place at the Royal Albert Hall. 24-29 March
BIG EGG HUNT: 100 egg sculptures decorated by the likes of Mr Doodle, Jimmy Choo, Anya Hindmarch and Fortnum & Mason will be scattered around central London for the Big Egg Hunt, almost a month before Easter. You'll probably need that long to track them all down. FREE, 24 March-27 April
CULTURAL REFORESTING: How can we renew our relationship with nature? That's the question being asked at the Cultural Reforesting exhibition at Orleans House Gallery. Several works are on display, each looking at a different aspect of the ecological crisis. FREE, 27 March-31 August
DINO DISCO: The whole family is invited to the Dino Disco at the Natural History Museum. Put on a pair of headphones and dance to one of three different DJs, in the museum's Hintze Hall (which, despite the event's name, is now home to a blue whale skeleton rather than dinosaurs. Still pretty cool, though). 28 March
SPLASH!: We're rather looking forward to diving into the Design Museum's latest exhibition, Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style. It ploughs through three settings: the pool, the lido and nature, looking at how design influences our experience of swimming in each, displaying objects including Pamela Anderson's Baywatch swimsuit. 28 March-17 August
MODEL RAILWAY SHOW: If you didn't get your fill of tiny trains at Ally Pally earlier in the month (see above) chug down to south London for the Beckenham and West Wickham Vintage Model Railway Show. Varous layouts will be on display, and specialist traders will be present, selling you what you need to work on your own layout at home. 29 March
KEW THE RUN: Another one for London's athletic types, Kew the Run is a 10K or half marathon route finishing in Kew Gardens. The 10K course (Saturday) is entirely contained within the gardens, while the half marathon (Sunday) starts and ends in the gardens, meandering down to Ham House in Richmond and back. 29-30 March
GOLD BUNNY HUNT: The Easter bunny comes to south-west London early — well, several bunnies actually — as the Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt returns to the grounds of Hampton Court Palace. Seek out the statues and look on their red ribbons for their names, then pick up a small chocolate treat. 29 March-21 April
PIRATES: Ahoy, mateys! The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich opens an exhibition all about pirates, challenging their depiction as swashbuckling adventurers in search of buried booty. Real-life pirates feature, as well as fictional characters from books, TV and film, and Orlando Bloom's Pirates of the Caribbean costume is among the objects on display. 29 March-4 January
CLOCKS CHANGE: A reminder that the clocks go forward an hour in the early hours of 30 March (which also happens to be Mother's Day). The bad news is that we lose an hour, but the good news is that it heralds the start of lighter, brighter days. 30 March
MOTHER'S DAY: A reminder to pick up a card and some flowers and chocolates. Perhaps treat her to afternoon tea too, eh? 30 March
CHERRY BLOSSOM: April bears the bulk of the cherry blossom season here in London, but it sometimes comes out in March if conditions are right. Take a look at our guide to seeing cherry blossom in London for the best places to spot and snap the photogenic pink flowers.
LAST CHANCE TO SEE: A few things are closing this month too. It's your last chance to see:
ORCHIDS: The Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens is awash with colour for the annual Orchids festival. Flowers from Peru are the focus this year, with llamas, flamingos and other wildlife sculpted from the blooms. Until 2 March
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: Cirque du Soleil's latest show, Corteo, comes to an end at the Royal Albert Hall. It's a long-running Cirque show taking the form of a festive parade imagined by a clown, and offers a never-before-seen seating arrangement splitting the Royal Albert Hall in half. Until 2 March
FUTURE FILM FESTIVAL: Catch the final week of the BFI's Future Film Festival, for aspiring filmmakers aged 16 to 25. Masterclasses, workshops, panel discussion and interviews are all on the events programme, both here in London and online. Until 6 March
FASHION RENEGADES: The Fashion & Textile Museum's Outlaws: Fashion Renegades of 80s London centres around legendary nightclub Taboo, opened by designer and performance artist Leigh Bowery in 1985, and looks at how its dress code and hedonistic philosophy influenced fashion. Until 9 March
OTHERLAND: Playing at the Almeida Theatre, Otherland is the story of a couple going through a break-up, navigating new partners, new identities and new possibilities.Until 15 March
MRS PRESIDNT: Step into the life of Mary Lincoln — wife of Abraham Lincoln and former First Lady of the United States. Mrs President, at Charing Cross Theatre, tells the story of her battle with grief and scandal, through her sittings for photographer Mathew Brady. Until 16 March
HELIOS: A 1:200 million scale sculpture of the Sun is on display at the Old Royal Naval College's Painted Hall. Helios is a work by artist Luke Jerram — who has previously installed his Moon and Mars sculptures in various buildings around London — and can be viewed in these beautiful surroundings. Until 25 March
SCISSORHANDS: American singer Michelle Visage and *NSYNC's Lance Bass teamed up to produce Scissorhandz, a musical parody tribute to Tim Burton's character Edward Scissorhands. Expect to hear a soundtrack of 90s and 00s hits at Southwark Playhouse Elephant. Until 29 March
PICASSO: The British Museum focuses on the lesser-known aspect of artist Pablo Picasso's career: his prints. He created over 2,400 of them in all, with several on display here dating from the early 1900s through to the 1930s. Until 30 March
